


Solving Problems with Violence

by Wolfkun



Category: XCOM (Video Games) & Related Fandoms, 僕のヒーローアカデミア | Boku no Hero Academia | My Hero Academia
Genre: Gen, Midoriya Izuku Does Not Go to U.A. High School, Quirkless Midoriya Izuku, Scary Midoriya Izuku
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-04
Updated: 2021-02-21
Packaged: 2021-03-15 10:53:57
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,209
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29188113
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wolfkun/pseuds/Wolfkun
Summary: Izuku decides that UA is not the best and goes elsewhere.  There's more than one type of hero, right?  After all, soldiers can be heroes.
Comments: 3
Kudos: 92





	1. In which Eraserhead Listens ...

**Author's Note:**

> I might have played XCOM (with soldiers named after a certain ninja village) when I ran out of soldiers. While reaching into other fandoms to kill- um, use, characters, I wondered what XCOM would think about the many illogical ideas floating around the MHA fandom.

Aizawa, ne Eraserhead, was on his evening patrol when he heard one of his students in the alley below. Midoriya Izuku, also known as Problem Child, talked in that kind of a strident tone that students used to complain.

"-kind of hate it."

Another voice, tired and slightly higher pitch, male but younger than Izuku maybe, "The school or your teachers?"

"Both…" Izuku said, drily. "I thought it would be great, you know? UA is rumored to be the best," a long pause, "But you were right, it kind of sucks."

"I usually am," the other boy said, a teasing lilt to his voice. "How are the students?"

Eraserhead stood still, becoming a shadow against the rooftop. He could see the two boys three-stories below, his green-haired student wearing a lightweight rain jacket while the other boy wore a white hoodie with mouse ears. Dear God, was that Nedzu merchandise?

Midoriya grimaced, "I think they're quirkist bastards."

And wasn't that a kick in the ass? Up to now, Eraserhead would say that Midoriya got along with pretty much everyone.

"You still did the right thing, got it?" The boy in the mouse-eared hoodie said plainly. "You can always leave school and take classes with me. I have an in." Again, that teasing lilt. "My friends are crazy but not quirkist."

"It's tempting," Midoriya sighed. "I should have known from an entrance exam that most of the teachers couldn't have passed. It's why Eraserhead had to transfer, Midnight and Nedzu couldn't have passed, and Snipe wouldn't have been allowed support items so that he would have failed too… what's with that look?"

And yeah, Eraserhead could see the boy's point. The entrance exams were illogical. It concerned him that Midoriya felt this way. He really wanted to know who the other boy was.

"Nothing," the boy made a shrug. He tilted his face up to scan the rooftops. Eraserhead froze; the mistake people made was flinching if they might be spotted. Staying still in the shadow, he was confident he was still hidden. Strange, the boy looked up though, most didn't.

The boy looked back, "Your teacher is Eraserhead?"

"Aizawa-san," Midoriya corrected, "at least in school. I thought he'd be different, but he's pretty much the same as other teachers."

That did not sound like a good thing, which was a large red flag. Did Midoriya not have any teachers that he liked?

"Too bad, I know he's mostly trusted by Nedzu, I thought he'd be different."

Mostly? Eraserhead paused. He thought the Principal trusted him pretty well. What does a kid like him know anyway?

"Mostly?" Izuku unknowingly echoed.

The kid answered quietly, "Nedzu is not surprised, really. About a quarter of the students he expels, my agency recruits. And no, I'm still not going to tell you about the agency. Well, unless you join us."

"I still think it's wild you are friends with him?"

"He's pretty cool," the kid affirmed, "I really like talking with him. It was his recommendation that got me into the JSF."

"Does Eraserhead know that the students he expels end up in the military?"

"I doubt it. Rumor is he expels to keep them safe," the kid sighed, "And we just buried two from his last year's class with full honors."

That… Eraserhead clenched his fist; he would have to check up on the students he expelled. The military was taking the kids, killing them?

"Anyway, enough of that. Why is he like the others?"

"Well, we had a quirk apprehension test; Kacchan got angry at me and flew into a rage. Sure, Aizawa-san stopped it, but…" Izuku sighed, "I just would have liked some, I don't know-"The boy's arms flailed as he was unable to articulate his complaint.

"Yeah, I get it. I didn't realize Eraserhead was a quirkist. Not too surprising, though."

"What would have your instructors done?" Izuku asked curiously.

"Kicked him to the curb," the boy said without hesitation. "If you say you're going to give second chances and you don't, then you're not trustworthy, if you say you are not going to give second chances, then you do- but only to some people, that just makes for scum."

"I-I don't think he's scum," Midoriya said, "Though I am considering leaving, R."

Eraserhead did not like the analysis of his actions. That was not quite what happened, though it could be seen that way. He talked to Bakugo-san alone after the test, informing the volatile boy that his behavior was unacceptable. Are, R, or was it Arre? R at least had a name or a letter.

"You have heroics tomorrow with All Might," R said.

"What?" Midoriya asked, surprised.

What? How did this kid know? Sure, it would get out after tomorrow. For now, it was concerning.

"Nedzu," R said, shrugging. He scanned the rooftops again. It was a habit. While Eraserhead usually approved of alert people, it was kind of annoying now. "You going to be alright with him?"

Midoriya hunched some, "Yeah, I mean he doesn't like me, but I'll be in a class. He probably won't single me out."

"I’m still pretty pissed at him,” R said. “You should tell Nedzu that he’s a quirkist asshole. Of course, it sounds like the school is quirkist to start with.”

“He’s a great hero!” Midoriya’s voice rose some, then he quieted, “Sorry, but he’s, well, and I’m me.”

And wasn’t that a concerning statement, Eraserhead thought, even if it came out in a stuttered mess.

R tilted his head, mouse hoodie ears canting to the right, “He became a villain to me the moment he left you on that rooftop.”

That… okay, Aizawa did not care much for the theatrics at work with the Number One. Still, he had never heard anyone- not even the most hardened villain- suggest All Might be less than a hero.

“Uh, maybe, um, he has PTSD. I mean, he showed me that scar.” It was soft and almost unheard.

Eraserhead stiffened; how on earth did his student know that? Why was he telling others? He realized he would have to inform Nedzu.

“Or maybe he’s a villain,” R said. “God knows Bakugo is.”

What? 

“Kacchan is not a villain, R.” It was a defeated tone like they had this argument before.

“He told you to jump out a window and get a quirk in the next life,” R said flatly, “And All Might wasn’t much better.”

What? Eraserhead nearly activated his quirk just at hearing that.

“It’ll be okay,” Midoriya said, “I put up with Aldera for ten years; I can manage UA for three.”

R handed his student something.

“This is the card to my boss. If it gets worse, talk to him. I’ll be out of Japan for a few weeks. Call him if it gets too much, okay?”

“Yeah, thanks, R. Mom’s not bad, but it gets to be a lot, you know?”

“Of course, Izuku, I’m quirkless too.”

Oh. A little more light was shed on the conversation. Eraserhead was not stupid; quirkless people did not have it great in society. Discrimination was the least of their problems.

“Yeah, but you have a gun,” Midoriya said, “You kill your enemies.”

“I do,” the boy agreed, “Stay safe.”

“You too.”

The boys left in different directions. Curious, Eraserhead decided to follow R. At least to the train bound for Hosu. The boy checked every now and again for stalkers, nosey pro-heroes, and maybe others of low repute, not that he saw anything. He’d watch the Problem Child closer and drop a word to Nedzu. There were several points about that conversation that bothered him.

Aizawa-san went into work before classes the next day and met with Nedzu.

The meeting with Nedzu went… well, it went. Was R a friend? Nedzu did not say, but he did not deny. Did All Might threaten Midoroiya? Nedzu acknowledged there was history but left it open as to what the record was. Was Nedzu delighted Eraserhead saw someone in his hero merchandise? Yes, yes, he was. Did All Might have PTSD? Nedzu did not answer but left the possibility open. Why was All Might even here? Nedzu did not say.

As for the Problem Child, Eraserhead saw how he was polite to others but not friendly. He also noticed that most of the other students treated him as breakable. It was as if he was somehow less because he was quirkless. He would have to address that immediately. Tomorrow perhaps. Midoriya earned his place here and did not need to be second-guessed.

He made new lesson plans for the next morning as All Might taught heroics in the last periods.

“You called for me, sir?” Aizawa asked politely, tired from the end of the day.

“I need your signature,” Nedzu said, pushing over papers.

“This is for Midoriya to leave, voluntary resignation,” Aizawa was surprised. Echoes of the conversation from last night rattled in his head.

“It is,” Nedzu said, his claws clicking on the desktop. The mouse-bear person looked annoyed more than anything. It was not a look that he was used to seeing on the Principal.

“I will talk to him. Is he still here?”

“No,” the tone curt. “Ah, All Might come in.”

“You wanted to see me, sir?” All Might asked, hesitant at the look the bear-dog person was giving him. 

“I believe that Midoriya-san said he was uncomfortable with partnering against Bakugo-san?”

Yagi, as he liked to be called in his skinny form, “We don’t get to choose our partners. They were randomly drawn.” Eyes furrowed.

“And when the students observed how he was weaker because he was quirkless, you did not put a stop to it,” Nedzu said, pointedly.

“He is weaker,” Yagi said. “The students were not unkind.” He paused, “Are those withdrawal forms?”

“Yes, the two of you have seen fit to make sure one of our promising students will seek help elsewhere. Not able to cut it. Thank you for setting back quirkless rights. You are dismissed.” 

It was a cold tone from the rat-mouse person. Aizawa had never been on the receiving end of Nedzu’s anger. He did not like it. 

In the hallway, Aizawa pinched the bridge of his nose.

“I am going to see Ms. Midoriya and see if I can change his mind. I highly suggest you come as well,” Aizawa had a bad feeling like it was too late. What was on that card from yesterday? Who did he call?

Yagi looked confused but agreed. Aizawa took a company car. Why exactly was Nedzu angry at him? Because he knew that was what the coldness meant; the rat-bear person was infuriated.

“Nedzu is pissed at us,” Aizawa sighed. “I’m not sure why exactly. However, unless we want to be doing petty chores for the next year, and believe me, Nedzu can do petty, we had better fix this.”

“You believe he should be a hero?” Yagi asked, surprised.

“I believe he should be a student; I don’t know about a hero. I don’t know if any of them should be heroes.”

The drive was not long. Aizawa approached the second-story apartment door, taken aback by a sandy-haired man in the hall chewing on a toothpick. The man was wearing military fatigues and spotted them immediately.

“And you two are?” the soldier drawled.

“Aizawa and Yagi from UA.”

“Heh,” he knocked on the door, “Colonel. Two teachers from UA.”

The teachers entered with trepidation. Ms. Midoiya was sobbing on the couch. A white-haired young man with an eyepatch was slouched against the far wall, a scar down his left side, probably whatever made it took out his eye.

“Yo,” he waved with an eye smile on his right. “And you are?”

“Yagi,” the lanky blond teacher said, “from UA. I am All Might’s secretary.”

Midoriya-san surged up, her voice desperate, “These, these people kidnapped my son, you can help, right? Tell All Might?”

The white-haired man sighed, “We did not kidnap him, Midoriya-san. We have special dispensation from the Japanese government to recruit promising young people into our ranks without the parents' permission. The UNSF authorizes us, so you may freely pursue a legal strategy with the Assembly.”

Which was diplomatic speech for ‘go to hell.’ Because no one would win that legal fight.

Yagi got it too. The man was not stupid.

“I am surprised that he was recruited so fast,” Yagi said, concerned.

“Usually, we do have a few recruiters hang around the UA entrance on the first day,” the man said, “however, R, a member of ours, scouted Midoriya Izuku. Our Director was quick to grab him. It spoiled Principal Nedzu’s plan to show the world that quirkless does not mean worthless, but his loss is our gain. I think R said something about using Midoriya’s case to change the entrance exam.” 

Aizawa grimaced, paling slightly. Yeah, Nedzu would not like his plans upended. Worse because Aizawa wanted to get that exam changed. 

Yagi frowned, “I would not think the military would look for someone quirkless.”

The white-haired man unfolded his arms; his tag read Hound.

“We look for intelligence. Do you think a quirk is important, Yagi-san? I will have Midoriya Izuku trained to be up your face with a shotgun loaded with solid armor-piercing shells and an electric blade. Then I don’t care what you’ve got in a quirk. A team will support him, and they will cut down anyone stupid enough to get in the way.”

He was obviously done with this, “Hopefully, we do not see one another again. A friendly warning, one of our talented sharpe’s has a kill order contract on his desk for All Might. There is concern that he might be going villainous, what with his recent behavior. The Japanese government has decided he will be a martyr if that day passes.”

Yagi pressed his lips in a grimace, “All Might is not going to become a villain.”

“Hope not,” Hound said, “He’s done good work, I rather like him. But that won’t mean anything if the order is countersigned.”

Aizawa froze for a moment. That means someone signed half the order. It was not theoretical at this point and had been taken out by this military group most likely.

“Excuse me,” Aizawa said, “May I ask the name of your unit?”

Hound smiled again, more genuine.

“We are XCOM.” 

He walked out the door, and the other man fell in step next to him.

Aizawa looked at Yagi, and they shared an uncomfortable look. The world knew XCOM; they were positively lethal. Come to think of it; they had an office building by the wharves in Hosu.

Halfway back, Aizawa groaned as he reran the conversation in his mind, “Hound said they stationed recruiters outside UA on the first day.”

“Yes?” Yagi said, pulled from his own thoughts. Having been told the most dangerous military unit on the planet might kill him and thought he was becoming villainous was a real damper on his day.

“I expelled students to keep them safe because they weren’t taking heroics seriously,” Aizawa said. “Not to get them killed in a fight with aliens.”

Because, yes, that is what XCOM did. They fought a shadow war with aliens. It was kind of out there, but since most people did not see aliens, it was never really in anyone’s mind. Aizawa frowned; why were they recruiting? The last alien sighting had been decades ago.

“Hello, Aizawa-san,” Nedzu was chatting with students from the third-year course. Which he never did. He also sounded chipper, which was incredibly concerning. “These third-year students are starting a history club, walking around UA, and giving lessons as outreach. They need an advisor, and I thought of how perfect you would be. They meet today after school for their first planning session.”

Hello pettiness, Aizawa thought as he looked at the most energetic girl in the school. The Principal walked away, tail swishing in glee. 

Hadou was not slow on the uptake; there was no way Aizawa-sensei would want to be part of her club. Though she had been trying to get it approved, ”Aizawa-sensei, did you get in trouble?”

“Yes, yes I did,” Aizawa said. Let us not deny that he did. “I offended the rat-god.”


	2. and Somehow Not Enough

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> At UA, Nedzu teaches a lesson, while an underwater raid goes well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I like MHA; however, there are multiple problems I have with the in-canon universe. This chapter deals with one that has never sat right with me, namely the assessment test that Aizawa gives.
> 
> Updated: 3/8/2021

Unaware of the existential crisis a former teacher was going through, Izuku was learning a new skill. The fifteen-year-old was handed a carbine, given a flying drone, and sent out onto a practice field. Somehow, he thought it was still better than UA. At least he wasn’t facing classmates in a competitive match before getting any training.

There were robots, but they weren’t very dangerous; the carbine only fired target lasers, and the robots tried to light up his vest like a laser tag game.

“Don’t worry about the objectives,” a boy with wild black hair said. Oddly, the boy had a dog on his head; Izuku wasn’t sure if it was a replacement for a hat or not. “The Director of Operation’s job is to tell you what you already know. If you need to disable a bomb, you will be told that every five minutes. As a field medic, you will be supporting our units as we move up the field.”

Izuku nodded from where he crouched behind a wall.

K, the dog-wearing boy, carried a large shotgun and blade.

“I’m assault. I get up in the face of the enemy and shoot them. We have the highest casualty rates, so you’ll be seeing us a lot.”

Izuku frowned, “Um, that’s not a good thing, right?”

K shrugged, “It’s not bad. There are several battlefield roles- oh, watch for the robot to the left-“

Izuku shot it and then ducked behind a postbox. 

“Sharpe’s fire from across the battlefield, Assault gets up close, and Heavy blows crap up; there’s also tech support and medical support. Templars run around and cut up aliens, while Reapers sneak around and shoot from the shadows.”

K ran, hunched over behind a line of cars, “Best not stop behind these. For some reason, a stray show will blow these things up like bombs.“

Izuku emulated him, running slightly bent to create a smaller target, “I was told there were adepts.”

“Yeah, we got a couple. They have their own command structure. They fight the mental controlling aliens; they don’t usually give orders to the rest of us.”

“And there’s some rapid movers, right, Skirmishers?” Izuku asked, panting. The backpack was getting heavy. K looked like he was taking a Monday stroll through the mall.

“Nah, I hate those guys, so I pretend they don’t exist. See that gutter; we’re going to climb it.”

Izuku grunted as he climbed up, followed by the boy wearing a dog.

While Izuku was getting a combat lesson, Present Mic was sitting gingerly across from Nedzu in UA.

“Did I offend you?” The hero asked.

“Not at all,” Nedzu looked happily at the teacher. “I just thought you might like to have a day to work with some third years on their image. Yagi-san can cover your classes for a few days.”

Present Mic just nodded. Nedzu pressed an intercom button.

“Hello, we have a health initiative. For the next month, UA will be a caffeine-free zone.”  
Present Mic looked amazed, “Do you want Aizawa-san to quit?”

“No,” Nedzu smiled sharply, “In fact, I am enforcing the contract.”

Izuku was in the control room, unaware of the hell a purple-haired boy his age would be going through for the month; the blond Director of Operations greeted him with a smile.

“How was training?”

“It was good, Namikaze-san,” Izuku said politely. 

“Excellent, Inuzuku-san said you picked things up fast,” he smiled, “I am glad you joined us. We have an operation in an hour. I thought you might wish to watch. R is on, and it should be fairly routine. Aliens have been striking at the undersea areas for the last five years. A long string of underwater facilities built during the Quirk Wars are offshore. We are going to fight down here on this genetics lab.

“I figure that after you have some field experience, you will probably want to be an analyst here. It will allow you to save the most people.” Namikaze gestured with a friendly smile, “This is Sato-san; she will be a liaison; if you see something that might be important, tell her, she knows the correct person to get the information too.

“Our operation room streams all the information we have from undercover and from the tactical map. The group today is five people; they call themselves the Letters: R, who you know; my son, N; a reaper who is an expert in shadows, S; a psychic, C; and a ranger who is leading, Y.”

Izuku moved over to stand next to Sato-san. The girl looked at him and smiled friendly. It was still a wonder to him that no one cared he was quirkless; as dog-wearing-boy, Kiba had said earlier, ‘like we care about anything other than the mission.’

The submersible approached the station stealthily. Inside, all five-spoke by sign, cognizant of the water able to transmit their speech. Motors cut above the station, and the submarine drifted down to lock into place at the docking ring.

Y, the oldest of them and the current mission leader, was through the entry first. S slid down the pole, muttered about what a pain, and then slunk into the shadows beyond. C slid down and took up one side of the door. N had a laser gatling; he called it Kurama and spoke to it lovingly, which everyone took in stride. R was a sniper and had traded out his usual rail rifle for the bolt caster, which fired a steel-tipped stake laced with organic poisons.

Well practiced, R moved last into the room, covering the others. When the aliens struck, it was sudden, and R fired to cover for N, who was temporarily exposed. The stake nailed the vaguely humanoid man who had fingers too long and moved as if his legs were jointed backward; a curious bobbing motion brought to a halt by the steel stake that evacuated his cranium of matter. Laser light from Kurama drove the other two figures back.

It took time to reload the bolt caster, the odd crossbow designed to have a cartridge of one; R kept twenty stakes on his back, eighteen now as he fit the nineteenth into place. Without moving, he took a shot at a pink-skinned alien behind a glass pillar. The bolt shattered the glass and threw the alien backward to twitch against the wall.

“Our analyst says that there’s two more,” the director said, “likely in this group. One for ranged support and one for an ambush. Check for vents.”

R looked up and drew his pistol; he fired directly into the vent grate, a gaseous bag of acid falling to where he’d been. Rolling out of the way, R got his breath back.

“Good call,” R muttered. 

“I’ll tell him,” the Director sounded amused.

“I see four by the console,” Y spoke.

A small can rolled towards the group. S detonated the explosive, killing the entire pack of aliens, destroying the console.

Aizawa stood in front of his boss.

“I don’t understand why you are angry at me,” he confessed. 

Nedzu tilted his head, “You don’t?” A curious pause, “When Bakugo-san, very publicly, attacked Midoriya-san, you let it go. As if it was okay to attach another student.”

“I prevented the attack and spoke with the student in private.”

“…yes. You never mentioned that he was in trouble. Public behaviors should get a public compliment or complaint. You could have just said his behavior earned him a warning and then spoken with him in private.”

Nedzu continued, “Though I don’t see why you did not expel him. You have expelled other students for less.”

Aizawa opened his mouth to refute this claim but ended up closing his mouth. He had expelled people for not taking the assessment seriously, in the past.

“He has potential,” Aizawa said.

“How?” A knowing look in the rat-bear principal’s eyes.

“He placed high and practiced with his quirk.” 

“Hmm, did he attend quirk gyms?”

Aizawa looked exhausted, “I have no idea.”

“He did not,” Nedzu said, “Since public quirk use is illegal, how did he practice?”

“Are you saying he practiced illegally?” Aizawa thought back to the assessment.

“He did,” Nedzu said. “By bullying others. I grew suspicious when he attacked Midoriya-san. As for placing high, that does not matter. I am disappointed with both you and Yagi for not defending your student, Midoriya-san, with the same vigor you have defended quirked students in the past. You cannot say you are not quirkest when your actions prove otherwise.”

Aizawa stood in the hallway after he was dismissed; it was galling to admit that the rat had a point. Why hadn’t he threatened Bakugo with expulsion? He expelled his entire class last semester, and none of them had done more than refuse to take the assessment seriously. He would have to do better. Not for the rat, but because he did not want to be quirkest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next, I'll deal with the other culprit of discrimination. As a side note, I'm not convinced people know what redemption means.

**Author's Note:**

> JSF Japanese Special Forces  
> UNSF United Nation Special Forces  
> XCOM eXterrestrial COMbat force
> 
> Who thinks Nedzu would make an adorable Commander?


End file.
